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Micromatic Monday
- Thread starter Twelvefret
- Start date
Had a nice shave today trying out an adjustable length handle on loan from a member on another site. Great handle with a nice weight and adjustable length.
Flintstone65
Imagining solutions for imaginary problems
My Micromatic Monday was a GEMonday (GEM's Star cousin) and friend.
Razors: Kampfe Bros Star (with custom @camoloc handle) & Barnum Safety Razor
Blades: GEM SS PTFE & GEM SS PTFE (de-spined and trimmed....width-wise)
Soap: B&M 2020 Hallows
Brush: RR Beehive Plissoft 28mm
The KB Star Lather Catcher made the first pass....awesome handle, lots of blade feel and a significant amount of stubble knocked down. The Barnum (a new-to-me razor) also impressed me with it's pass, a really great combination of comfort and efficiency. The Barnum requires some work to get the blade to fit -- it's the first time I've cut a blade vertically -- but it is definitely worth it.
Razors: Kampfe Bros Star (with custom @camoloc handle) & Barnum Safety Razor
Blades: GEM SS PTFE & GEM SS PTFE (de-spined and trimmed....width-wise)
Soap: B&M 2020 Hallows
Brush: RR Beehive Plissoft 28mm
The KB Star Lather Catcher made the first pass....awesome handle, lots of blade feel and a significant amount of stubble knocked down. The Barnum (a new-to-me razor) also impressed me with it's pass, a really great combination of comfort and efficiency. The Barnum requires some work to get the blade to fit -- it's the first time I've cut a blade vertically -- but it is definitely worth it.
He certainly does. I wish I had half his skills in metal working. And he has been making a lot of stuff this year. I've been fortunate to be in on several of the pass arounds.
Thanks @twhite.
Pictures my good man or it's a lie !!
Thank you for the kind words. I do like tinkering that’s for sure. Glad you like some of them.
Tom
Razor: Gem Micromatic Open Comb
Blade: Personna GEM PTFE Stainless Steel Blade
Brush: Simpson's Butterscotch Chubby 2 Synthetic
Pre-Shave: Proraso White
Lather: Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood
Aftershave: Duke Cannon Supply Company Ice Cold Balm
Additional Care:
Thayers Facial Tonic Witch Hazel Unscented
Pinaud Finest powder
Blade: Personna GEM PTFE Stainless Steel Blade
Brush: Simpson's Butterscotch Chubby 2 Synthetic
Pre-Shave: Proraso White
Lather: Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood
Aftershave: Duke Cannon Supply Company Ice Cold Balm
Additional Care:
Thayers Facial Tonic Witch Hazel Unscented
Pinaud Finest powder
Flintstone65
Imagining solutions for imaginary problems
How'd the razor work for you?
My MMOC arrived today and I had my first shave with it and I think that razor is awesome! 4 days of growth was taken away with ease. I've had many effortless shaves with DE razors but the MMOC is on another level of in terms of efficiency and smoothness. I was thinking about keeping my R41 for one pass shaves in case im in a hurry and I want to get fast and close shave without risking of having irritation if I do multiple passes, but now I have something much, much better. My face is super smooth from my very first shave like probably no other razor before. I'm afraid I might switch to SE razors and sell some of my DE razors.
I’d say that it worked better. Definitely a great learning experience to use a piece of history like this. Shave quality was about the same as last time, but a little less harsh as the blade wears in and I adjust technique.
Today I used the Push Button and believe that it is fairly milder by comparison. Oddly, I get closer shaves with moderately aggressive-feeling razors.
Razor: GEM G-Bar
Blade: GEM (Personna) PTFE
Brush: Spiffo D'rargo (Manchurian Two-Band SHD Fan)
Pre-Shave: Face Wash and Scrub
Lather: Saponificio Bignoli - Aghi Di Pino (pine needles)
Aftershave: Collin’s - Spiked Canon
Additional Care:
Thayers, Hyaluronic Acid
Blade: GEM (Personna) PTFE
Brush: Spiffo D'rargo (Manchurian Two-Band SHD Fan)
Pre-Shave: Face Wash and Scrub
Lather: Saponificio Bignoli - Aghi Di Pino (pine needles)
Aftershave: Collin’s - Spiked Canon
Additional Care:
Thayers, Hyaluronic Acid
Really like all of them. Love most of them. Really really wish I had a particular few.
well, we all know that YMMV, but my first shave with a GEM Blue Star was unimpressive... I'd say that the coated stainless blades beat it for both sharpness and smoothness, plus they aren't already rusty five minutes after the shave is complete!
I agree about the nearly immediate “rust”(if that’s what it is). When I take the blade out and dry it, I don’t have that issue. Forget once though and it’ll rust immediately. So weird.
not weird at all really, high carbon, low alloy steels with a low-polish surface finish are very prone to rust spotting. a very smooth polish, or bluing can diminish this tendency, but for a disposible razor blade that's an expensive production step to add and usually gets skipped.
My high carbon kitchen knives are the same way, if I don't wipe them immediately after use they get discoloration or surface rust in less than 5 minutes... lemon juice on the blade = almost instant rust.
On another subject, the Micromatic bullet-tip arrived today and cleaned up very nicely. It'll be tomorrow mornings shave (fresh SS/PTFE).
Do you ever swap or remove blades from GEM razors? It seems like the outermost blade edges/corners (which are blunted by the end tabs) might cause tugging if they shift or don't have the exact same contact points in different razors.
In the older razors it's pretty easy to be certain the blade is well rinsed without removing it, but the Micromatics and later flip-top designs can definitely trap lather under the blade or cap if rinsing isn't thorough enough. It seems like it's possible to get a better flush by slightly raising the cap, but without fully releasing seating tension on the blade, is this the officially approved method?
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I get just one use out of carbon steel blades unless I smear them with oil and place in a closed container. I am up to date on my tetanus shots, but I have no desire to put them to the test.
Unlike the Treet Dura Sharp DE blades, which obviously have a coating on the blade surface as well as the edge... they can be shaken out and left to dry without rusting badly, though they *will* rust if left wet and/or soapy, or left in the razor for more than a week.
I have never tried a Derby blade. I will say that what works in Vermont may not be so effective on an island in the middle of the Pacific. The salt air here is corrosive.
